Carriage long run controlling device for typewriters and like machines



Nov. 29, 1966 R sALTO Filed Jan. 30, 1964 CARRIAGE LONG RUE CONTROLLING DEVICE FOR TYPEWRIIERS AND LIKE MACHINES 131 253 HT 243 i 199 Z251 135 226 132 136 147 246 2271 9] 136 11 ml 1 3412 23) 133 252 V -m W 425 4mg: -acgm -ccgmc- 258 gm138 138 138 140 171 Mm 239 141 172 we; 1|)

257 L F |g.1 233 244 i HJ INVENTOR.

Rim/d0 Sal/f0 United States Patent Ofitice 3,288,263- Patented Nov. 29, 1966 7 Claims. (Cl. 19794) This invention relates to a typewriter or like machine having a carriage and a spacing mechanism for letter spacing said carriage one or more small intervals of spacing, said mechanism comprising an escapement member having teeth spaced apart by an integral multiple of said interval and normally engaged by a number of independent escapement dogs corresponding to said multiple and mutually spaced apart one interval plus an amount equal to an integral number of said multiple. More particularly, the invention relates to a carriage long run controlling device comprising means moveable from a rest position to an operated position to disengage said dogs from said member for conditioning said carriage for a long run.

In the known typewriters of the above type, and particularly in the variable spacing typewriters, various devices have been proposed to correctly arrest the carriage according to a predetermined multiple of the interval of spacing after a long run, for example a tabulating run, a carriage return, or a carriage run controlled by hand through the conventional carriage release member.

Generally in the known long run controlling devices the carriage is temporarily arrested according to a multiple of the interval of spacing by means different than the escapement dogs, whereby they are very intricate and expensive to manufacture.

In another known device the escapement member is provided with teeth spaced apart a first multiple of the interval of spacing, which is different than a second multiple predetermined for temporarily arresting the carriage and comprises a set of differently sized escapement dogs. Therefore, this device requires means for previously grouping the escapement dogs before reengaging same with the escapement member, whereby this device is intricate too.

The primary object of this invention is to provide a carriage long run controlling device which is inexpensive and reliable in operation.

Another object is to provide a device for arresting the carriage according to a multiple of the interval of spacing equal to the pitch of the escapement member.

A further object is to provide a device, wherein after a long run the carriage is restored under the control of the escapement mechanisms when a step by step movement of the carriage is effected.

With the above objects in view in a typewriter having a carriage and a spacing mechanism for letter spacing said carriage by one or more small intervals of spacing, said mechanism comprising an escapement member having teeth spaced apart by an integral multiple of said interval and normally engaged by a number of independent escapement dogs corresponding to said multiple and mutually spaced apart one interval plus an amount equal to an integral number of said multiple, I now provide a carriage long run controlling device comprising in combination means movable from a rest position to an operated position to disengage said dogs from said member for conditioning said carriage for a long run, said means being so shaped as to disengage one of said dogs after being moved through a stroke longer than the stroke required for disengaging the other dogs, and means operable at the end of said long run for temporarily returning said movable means from said operated position to an intermediate position to cause said member to be reengaged by said one dog only, whereby said member is arrested according to said multiple of interval.

Other objects, characteristics and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment thereof and from the accompanying drawing, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a partial plan view of a carriage long run controlling device embodied in an electric typewriter having a variable spacing mechanism;

FIG. 2 is a partial sectional view taken on the line IIII of FIG. 1.

The carriage long run controlling device is embodied in an electric typewriter having a variable spacing mechanism of the kind described in the applicants copenda ing application, Serial No. 321,221, filed November 4, 1963, which therefore will be described hereinafter compendiously.

With reference to FIG. 1, the numeral 131 generically indicates the conventional paper carriage of the typewriter, which is normally urged leftwards by a spring not shown and is adapted to be letter spaced under the control of a variable spacing mechanism according to one or more small intervals of spacing. Said spacing mechanism comprises an escapement member 132 having teeth spaced apart by an integral multiple of the interval of spacing, namely according to three intervals. The member 132 is formed of a rack secured to the carriage 131 and normally engaged by a number of independent escapement dogs corresponding to said multiple, that is a number of three dogs 133, 134 and 135, each one fulcrumed on an individual pivot 136 of a slide 137 and connected thereto by an individual spring 138. The three dogs 133, 134 and are mutually spaced apart one interval plus an amount equal to an integral number of said multiple of spacing, in a manner that the rack 132 with one of its teeth transversely contacts always one of said dogs.

The slide 137 is slidably mounted on two pins 139 and 140 and is normally urged by the carriage spring, through the rack 132 and the dogs 133, 134 and 135, to contact the pin 139 against the urge of its spring 141. Furthermore, the slide 137 is provided with a projection 142 normally latched by a latch 143 pivoted at 144 and urged counterclockwise by a spring 145. Finally, the slide 137 is provided with a projection 172 adapted to cooperate with a stepped sector 171 settable in a variable angular position by the various type actions not shown in the drawing, to select the spacing corresponding to the character to be printed.

When one of said type actions is operated, a shaft 146 (FIG. 2) is rocked counterclockwise in a known manner. A number of three equal arms 147, 148 and 149 (FIG. 1) secured to the shaft 146 disengages the dogs 133, 134 and 135 from the rack 132, while another arm 150 equal to the above three arms unlatches the latch 143 from the projection 142 of the slide 137. Simultaneously a set of retaining dogs not shown, temporarily engage the rack 132. The slide 137 is now shifted rightwards by the spring 141 until arrested by the sector 171. Thereafter the shaft 146 is restored clockwise together with the arms 147, 148, 149 and 150. Now the dogs 133, 134 and 135 reengage the rack 132 and are returned leftwards together with the slide 137 until the projection 142 is relatched by the latch 143.

The typewriter is provided with a carriage long run controlling device comprising means movable from a rest position to an operated position to disengage the three dogs 133, 134 and 135 from the rack 132 for conditioning the carriage 131 for a long run. Said movable means are formed of a number of three arms 225, 226 and 227 secured to a shaft 228 (FIG. 2) rockably mounted on the machine frame. The arm 225 is so shaped as to disengage the corresponding dog 133 after a counterclockwise stroke longer than the stroke required by the other arms 226 and 227 (FIG. 1) to disengage the correspond ing dogsl34 and-135.

The arm 227 (FIG. 2) is longer than the other two arms and is adapted to cooperate with a universal bar 229 fulcrumed at 231 on the carriage 131 and normally urged by a spring 232 to contact a pin 233 secured to the carriage. The universal bar 229 is provided with a manually operable arm 234 forming the conventional carriage release member.

Secured to the shaft 228 is another arm 235 having a pin 238 normally urged by a spring 236 to contact a shoulder 2370f a pawl 239 pivoted on a lever 240 and connected thereto by a spring 241. The lever 240 is pivoted at 73 on the machine frame and is urged by a spring 242 to contact a cam 243 adapted to be rotated counterclockwise by a continuously rotating shaft 70 through a clutch generically indicated by the numeral 244. This clutch, shown in FIG. 2 in its angular rest position, is adapted to be engaged by known means at the depression of the conventional tabulating key, as well as at the depression of the carriage return key. The clutch 244 is further adapted to be temporarily disengaged after a predetermined rotation, namely 130 degrees by a normally ineffective lug 254 of a lever 255 pivoted at 256 and connected by a link 257 to the pin 238.

Furthermore, the long run controlling device comprises means operable at the end of a long run for temporarily returning the arms 225, 226 and 227 from the operated position to an intermediate position to cause the rack 132 to be reengaged by one of the three dogs only. Particularly, said operable means comprise a member 258 adapted to be moved leftwards in FIG. 2 in a known manner at the end of the tabulating run under the control of the conventional tabulating counterstop, as well as at the end of the carriage return under the control of the conventional carriage return counterstop. The member 258 in turn is adapted to cooperate with a projection 259 of the pawl 239. Furthermore, said operable means comprise a means for intercepting the return movement of the arms 225, 226 and 227, said means being formed of a latch 247 pivoted at 248 and urged by a spring 249 to normally contact a bent lug 246 of an arm 245 secured to the shaft 228. The latch 247 is provided with a slot 250 entered by one end of a link 251 connected at the other end to an arm 252 secured to the shaft 146.

Finally, a slide 199 adapted to be shifted rightwards at the depression of a conventional back space key as described in the cited patent application, is provided with a pin 253 adapted to cooperate with the latch 247.

The long run controlling device operates as follows.

At the depression of either the tabulating key or the return key, the clutch 244 is engaged and the cam 243 is rotated to rock the lever 240 clockwise. The lever 240 through the pawl 239 rock-s counterclockwise the arm 235, which through the link 257 rocks the lever 255 clockwise thus placing the lug 254 in a position effective to disengage the clutch 244. The cam 243 is thus arrested after being rotated of 130 degrees and the lever 240 remains rocked clockwise. Furthermore, the arm 235 rocks counterclockwise the shaft 228 together with the arms 225, 226, 227 and 245. The three arms 225, 226 and 227 thus disengage the corresponding dogs 133, 134 and 135 (FIG. 1) from the rack 132, while the lug 246 (FIG. 2) of the arm 245 releases the latch 247, which is rocked clockwise by the spring 249.

The carriage 131 has been thus released and in the case of a tabulating run it is moved leftwards by the proper spring, whereas in the case of a carriage return it is moved rightwards by the electric motor, in a known manner. At the end of the tabulating run, the carriage stop encounters the tabulating counterstop, which displaces the member 258 leftwards. Similarly, at the end of the carriage return the left margin stop encounters the corresponding counterstop, which displaces the member 258 leftwards.

The member 258 when so displaced engages the projection 259 and rocks the pawl 239 counterclockwise. The pawl 239 disengages thus the shoulder 237 from the pin 238, whereby the spring 236 returns the arm 235, together With the shaft 228 and the arms 225, 226, 227 and 245, clockwise toward the rest position, until the lug 246 is temporarily arrested by the latch 247 in the intermediate position. The arm 235 through the link 257 rocks now the lever 255 counterclockwise, whereby the lug 254 causes now the clutch 244 to be reengaged. The cam 243 is thus rotated again counterclockwise to return to the rest position shown in the drawing, and causes the spring 242 to restore the lever 240 counterclockwise.

In the intermediate position the arm 225, due to its shape, causes the dog 133 (FIG. 1) to reengage the rack 132 while the arms 226 and 227 are unable to cause the corresponding dogs 134 and to reengage the rack. At the end of a long run, the carriage is thus arrested always by the dog 133 according to the multiple of interval of spacing corresponding to the number of escapemerit dogs, namely according to three intervals, whereby the carriage may be correctly arrested.

The long run of the carriage may also be controlled by hand through the arm 234 (FIG. 2). When this arm is rocked clockwise, the universal bar 229 engages the arm 227, which is rocked counterclockwise together with the shaft 228 and the arms 225, 226, 235 and 245, whereby the dogs 133, 134 and 135 (FIG. 1) are disengaged from the rack 132 as in the above described case. When the arm 234 (FIG. 2) is released, the bar 229 releases the arm 227, but the lug 246 is arrested in the intermediate position by the latch 247, and the rack 132 is reengaged by the sole dog 133.

In any case the lug 246 will be released by the latch 247 when a step by step movement of the carriage is effected. The step by step movement may be represented by a letter spacing which is controlled in the manner above described by rocking the shaft 146 counterclockwise. In fact when the shaft 146 is so rocked the arm 252 through the link 251 rocks the latch 247 counterclockwise thus releasing the lug 246. The arm 245 together with the shaft 228 and the arms 225, 226, 227 and 235 are now restored by the spring 236, while the dogs 133, 134 and 135 (FIG. 1) remain under the control of the arms 147, 148 and 149 of the shaft 146.

The step by step movement of the carriage may also be represented by a back space controlled by the slide 199 (FIG. 2). In fact when the slide 199 is moved rightwards the pin 2 53 engages the latch 247 which is rocked counterclockwise and releases the lug 246 as in the case of the letter spacing.

It is to be noted that when the rack 132 is released for a long run, the latch 143 (FIG. 1) does not release the slide 137, whereby this latter is not shifted rightwards. Consequently, when the dog 133 reengages the rack 132, no additional leftward movement is effected by the carriage.

It is intended that modifications, improvements and addition of parts may be made in the above described device without departing from the scope of the invention.

What I claim is:

1. In a typewriter having a carriage and a spacing mechanism for letter spacing said carriage by one or more .small intervals of spacing, said mechanism comprising an escapement member having teeth spaced apart by an integral multiple of said interval and normally engaged by a number of independent escapement dogs corresponding to said multiple and mutually spaced apart one interval plus an amount equal to an integral number of said multiple, a carriage long run controlling device comprising in combination:

(a) means movable from a rest position to an operated position to disengage said dogs from said member for conditioning said carriage for a long run, said means being so shaped as to disengage one of said dogs after being moved through a stroke longer than the stroke required for disengaging the other dogs,

(b) and means operable at the end of said long run for temperarily returning said movable means from said operated position to an intermediate position to cause said member to be reengaged by said one dog only, whereby said member is arrested according to said multiple of interval.

2. In a typewriter having a carriage and a spacing mechanism for letter spacing said carriage by one or more small intervals of spacing, said mechanism comprising an escapement member having teeth spaced apart by an integral multiple of said interval and normally engaged by a number of independent escapement dogs corresponding to said multiple and mutually spaced apart one interval plus an amount equal to an integral number of said multiple, a carriage long run controlling device comprising in combination:

(a) a number of elements associated with said dogs and bodily movable to individually disengage said dogs from said member for conditioning said carriage for a long run, one of said elements being so shaped as to disengage the associated dog after a stroke longer than the stroke required by the other elements,

(b) and means operable at the end of said long run for temporarily returning said movable means from said operated position to an intermediate position to cause said member to be reengaged by said associated dog only, whereby said member is arrested according to said multiple of interval.

3. In a typewriter having a carriage and a spacing mechanism for letter spacing said carriage by one or more small intervals of Spacing, said mechanism comprising an escapement member having teeth spaced apart by an integral multiple of said interval and normally engaged by a number of independent escapement dogs corresponding to said multiple and mutually spaced apart one interval plus an amount equal to an integral number of said multiple, a carriage long run controlling device comprising in combination:

(a) a number of elements associated with said dogs and bodily movable to disengage said dogs from said member for conditioning said carriage for a long run, one of said elements being so shaped as to disengage the associated dog after a stroke longer than the stroke required by the other elements,

(b) a spring for yieldably returning said number of elements from said operated position toward said rest position at the end of said long run,

(c) and a latch for temporarily intercepting the return movement of said number of elements at such an intermediate position as to cause said member to be reengaged by said associated dog only, whereby said member is arrested according to said multiple of interval.

4. In a typewriter having a carriage and a spacing mechanism for letter spacing said carriage by one or more small intervals of spacing, said mechanism comprising an escapement member having teeth spaced apart by an integral multiple of said interval and normally engaged by a number of independent escapement dogs corresponding to said multiple and mutually spaced apart one interval plus an amount equal to an integral number of said multiple, a carriage long run controlling device comprising in combination:

(a) a number of elements associated with said dogs and bodily movable to disengage said dogs from said member for conditioning said carriage for a long run, one of said elements being so shaped as to disengage the associated dog after a stroke longer than the stroke required by the other elements,

(b) a first latch for latching said number of elements in said operated position,

(0) a counterstop controlled member for disabling said first latch at the end of said long run,

(d) a spring for yieldably returning said number of elements from said operated position toward said rest position upon said first latch being disabled,

(e) a second latch for intercepting the return movement of said elements at such an intermediate position as to cause said member to be reengaged by said associated dog only, whereby said escapement member is arrested according to said multiple of interval,

(f) a control member operable for controlling the stepwise movement of said carriage,

(g) and an element secured to said control member for rendering said second latch ineifective.

5. In an electric typewriter having a carriage and a spacing mechanism for letter spacing said carriage by one or more small intervals of spacing, said mechanism comprising an escapement member having teeth spaced apart by an integral multiple of said interval and normally engaged by a number of independent escapement dogs corresponding to said multiple and mutually spaced apart one interval plus an amount equal to an integral number of said multiple, a carriage tabulating run controlling device comprising in combination:

(a) a number of elements associated with said dogs and bodily movable to disengage said dogs from said member, one of said elements being so shaped as to disengage the associated dog after a stroke longer than the stroke required by the other elements,

(b) a power operable member for conditioning said carriage for a tabulating run and for so moving said elements,

(c) a counterstop controlled member for disabling said power operable member at the end of said tabulating run,

((1) a spring for yieldably returning said number of elements from said operated position toward said rest position when said operable member is disabled,

(e) a latch for intercepting the return movement of said elements at such an intermediate position as to cause said member to be reengaged by said associated dog only, whereby said member is arrested according to said multiple of interval,

(f) a letter spacing control member operable for controlling the stepwise advancement of said carriage,

(g) and an element secured to said control member for rendering said latch ineffective.

6. In an electric typewriter having a carriage and a spacing mechanism for letter spacing said carriage by one or more small intervals of spacing, said mechanism comprising an escapement member having teeth spaced apart by an integral multiple of said interval and normally engaged by a number of independent escapement dogs corresponding to said multiple and mutually spaced apart one interval plus an amount equal to an integral number of said multiple, a carriage return controlling device comprising in combination:

(a) a number of elements associated with said dogs and bodily movable to disengage said dogs from said member, one of said elements being so shaped as to disengage the associated dog after a stroke longer than the stroke required by the other elements,

(b) a power operable member for conditioning a carriage return and for so moving said elements,

(c) a counterstop controlled member for disabling said power operable member at the end of said carriage return,

(d) a spring for yieldably returning said number of elements from said operated position toward said rest position when said operable member is disabled,

(e) a latch for intercepting the return movement of said elements at such an intermediate position as to cause said member to be reengaged by said associated dog only, whereby said member is arrested according to said multiple of interval,

(f) a letter spacing control member operable for controlling the stepwise advancement of said carriage,

(g) and an element secured to said control member for rendering said second latch ineffective.

7. In a typewriter having a carriage and a spacing mechanism for letter spacing said carriage according to a small interval of spacing, said mechanism comprising an escapement member toothed according to a multiple of said interval and normally engaged by a number of independent escapement dogs corresponding to said multiple and mutually spaced apart according to said interval, a carriage long run controlling device comprising in combination:

(a) a number of elements associated with said dogs and bodily movable to disengage said dogs from said member for conditioning the carriage for a long run, one of said elements being so shaped as to disengage the associated dog after a stroke longer than the stroke required by the other elements,

(b) means operable for conditioning said carriage for a long run and for moving said elements,

(c) means for disabling said operable means at the end of said long run,

(d) means for yieldably returning said number of elements from said operated position toward said rest position when said operable means are disabled,

(e) means for intercepting the return movement of .said elements in an intermediate position to cause said member to be reengaged by said associated dog only, whereby said member is arrested according to said multiple of interval,

(f) and means for rendering said intercepting means ineffective when a back space of said carriage is effected.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,547,449 4/1951 Dodge 197-84.3 2,753,973 7/1956 Dodge et a1 197-841 2,818,959 1/ 1958 Walton 19794 2,905,303 9/ 1959 Palmer et al 19784.3

ROBERT E. PULFREY, Primary Examiner. DAVID KLEIN, Examiner.

E. WRIGHT, Assistant Examiner. 

1. IN A TYPEWRITER HAVING A CARRIAGE AND A SPACING MECHANISM FOR LETTER SPACING SAID CARRIAGE BY ONE OR MORE SMALL INTERVALS OF SPACING, SAID MECHANISM COMPRISING AN ESCAPEMENT MEMBER HAVING TEETH SPACED APART BY AN INTEGRAL MULTIPLE OF SAID INTERVAL AND NORMALLY ENGAGED BY A NUMBER OF INDEPENDENT ESCAPEMENT DOGS CORRESPONDING TO SAID MULTIPLE AND MUTUALLY SPACED APART ONE INTERVAL PLUS AN AMOUNT EQUAL TO AN INTEGRAL NUMBER OF SAID MULTIPLE, A CARRIAGE LONG RUN CONTROLLING DEVICE COMPRISING IN COMBINATION: (A) MEANS MOVABLE FROM A REST POSITION TO AN OPERATED POSITION TO DISENGAGE SAID DOGS FROM SAID MEMBER FOR CONDITIONING SAID CARRIAGE FOR A LONG RUN, SAID MEANS BEING SO SHAPED AS TO DISENGAGED ONE OF SAID DOGS AFTER BEING MOVED THROUGH A STROKE LONGER THAN THE STROKE REQUIRED FOR DISENGAGING THE OTHER DOGS, (B) AND MEANS OPERABLE AT THE END OF SAID LONG RUN FOR TEMPERARILY RETURNING SAID MOVABLE MEANS FROM SAID OPERATED POSITION TO AN INTERMEDIATE POSITION TO CAUSE SAID MEMBER TO BE REENGAGED BY SAID ONE DOG ONLY, WHEREBY SAID MEMBER IS ARRESTED ACCORDING TO SAID MULTIPLE OF INTEVAL. 